I Want to Be Your Little Bird
by Troid
Summary: "Here, Yuu. Coffee with five spoonfuls of sugar." "You remembered how much sugar I like." Spending so much time with her Saya-chan-sensei, entangled in a series of crushes with other girls, Yuu has a busy life. Eventually Saya/Yuu yuri. Written for /u/.
1. Chapter 1

As promised to a certain group of people. This is a Saya/Yuu fic, but that's not to say Yuu won't be crushing on every girl along the way...

* * *

><p>"Hey, Mato!" said Yuu brightly, popping up alongside her friend.<p>

"Ah, Yuu!" Mato grinned. "You sure caught up fast."

The sun was just beginning its dip toward the horizon line as the two girls walked home along the hilly path. A pleasant breeze rustled the grass all around them, and even though the school year had just started, they felt as though they didn't have a care in the world.

"So, how was your day?" asked Mato.

"It was great!" enthused Yuu. "I'm a shoo-in for manager of the basketball team!" Her smiled faded somewhat. "It's too bad we aren't in the same class, though."

Mato nodded. "But, you're gonna get the manager position? That's great!" She looked thoughtfully in a vaguely upward direction. "I'm still not sure what club I should join."

"Club? You're gonna join the basketball club, right?" Yuu's expression rose hopefully. "I can see you all the time if you — I mean, come on! You're really good at basketball!"

The wind filled the silence as Mato appeared to think it over. "It's a lot of responsibility," she said finally. "I've never played on a team before."

"There's nothing to afraid of!" Yuu jabbed a thumb at her own chest. "I, your very own super manager, will make sure everything is perfect!" She let the hand drop. "Besides, I hear the captain is really something. She'll whip you into shape!"

"But that sounds haaard," groaned Mato, only half-joking.

"Eh? No, she's not really harsh or anything! I'm sure you'll have it easy since you're…"

"You'll say anything to get me to join!" Mato teased, and Yuu huffed. "It's just no fair we don't see each other during school, that's all."

"I know." Mato smiled at her. "I'll think about it, okay? Oh!" she exclaimed, and Yuu's smile at her agreement faltered. "What?"

"I almost forgot to tell you! I met someone today." Mato took on a very serious look, as if she was telling an important story and had to get every detail just right. "I was coming out of school, and I paused for a second, and wham! I'm on the ground. Then I look up, and right there is this bright red chain stitch, which she tells me is really easy to make, and I asked what Tiny Birds' Game was—"

Yuu stopped her with a palm raised flat. "Please speak to me in Japanese."

"She came over to ask if I was okay, I mean," said Mato. "_Kotoriasobi_—that's her name. I think."

"Oh." Yuu looked perplexed as to why this mattered.

"She's really interesting," Mato went on. "The chain stitch thing, she made it herself! Isn't that cool? The red looked so good on her; she's got this milky white skin…"

"So, you want to be friends with this Tiny Birds' Game person, is that it?" Yuu sighed.

"Well, you make it sound like… yes," Mato finished lamely. "She's in a few of my classes."

Yuu didn't say anything, not bothering to remind Mato that if the girl was in her class, they had every class together. Her silence prompted her friend to ask, "So, Yuu? What do you think?"

"I think you should probably talk to your Tiny Birds' Game if you want to be friends," said Yuu shortly. "And I'd better see you at the basketball club tomorrow!" Suddenly she ran forward.

"Ah, Yuu, wait!" Mato took a few strides to catch up, but Yuu swerved left past the row of houses they'd reached, heading on the path to her own home. She turned back to wave as she ran and flashed Mato a cheery smile. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

Mato waved back uncertainly, her head turned to watch Yuu until she was out of sight as Mato had to take a different corner. She looked happy, so Mato must have just been imagining things. But hadn't there been something in her eyes?

Once Yuu couldn't see Mato anymore, she stopped running. Slowly her strides turned into a dejected shuffle, and she kicked at the pavement. "Stupid," she told herself. "Stupid." But they'd had classes together since kindergarten…were they going to grow apart now? Because of this… No, it had nothing to do with the girl Mato had met. Still…

It's no fair.

o – o – o

The next morning, she awoke to find a text message from Mato: _I'm going to try out for the basketball club! What time's the meeting?_

Yuu pumped her fist with a "Yes!" that stirred the rest of the sleepy household. She quickly composed and sent a reply with the time, then she was flying down the stairs to get ready to go.

o – o – o

"All right!" said Arata Kohata, the team captain. "Before we play any basketball, we're going to run laps until the weak ones start collapsing!" Without further ado, she motioned with a sweep of her arm and prepared to dash away. "Okay, follow me, kiddies!"

"Hey!" spoke up Yuu. "What about me? Since I'm the manager, I shouldn't run laps, right?"

"No?" Arata pointed to a bin resting against the wall. "Then go polish the basketballs!"

A minute later, Yuu was sitting among a pile of the orange spheres, rubbing them ineffectually with a towel while the girls and boys trailed agonizingly after Arata in an endless circuit of their partition of the gym floor. "So this is what the manager does at the prestigious junior high level, huh?" She muttered to herself.

She could hear Arata shouting vaguely motivational things as they all sprinted. Watching them, Yuu could pick out Mato as one of the few tryouts who was keeping pace with the captain without too much difficulty. She waved, and Mato flashed her a grin and a wave back before snapping to attention as Arata turned to face them, still jogging in place.

"Okay, now to Mt. Fuji and back!" she shouted. "Come on; you'll never make it if you can't keep up!" She started moving again, and the many gasping bodies followed her out the door of the gym.

Yuu stared as they all filed out, leaving her alone but for the volleyball club on the other side of the dividing net. She flopped back onto the floor with a groan, scattering the basketballs. Minutes were ticking by, and there really was no telling whether Arata would actually make good on her promise to have them run all the way to Mt. Fuji. "This is so boring," she moaned to no one.

It didn't take them too long to return, but they looked so exhausted and out of breath that Yuu thought they must have in fact summitted a mountain—or at least gone several rounds with the tall steps leading to the school. They collapsed at various intervals as Arata finally halted. "What are you lying around for?" she barked at them. "That's not how winners do it!"

They started a scrimmage after that, interspersed with drills. Yuu watched Mato's effortless talent with admiration, forgetting her task of polishing the equipment. Despite the tiring run, Mato was sharp and focused, and Yuu could tell Arata was impressed; despite her relentless criticism of everyone, when she spoke with two other upperclassmen girls standing by her, it was obvious she liked what she saw in Mato.

But was Mato focused? The more she watched, the more glances Yuu saw Mato throw…somewhere. She followed the line of Mato's gazes and found the other side of the gym, where the volleyball club was lining up for its tryouts. Then, she realized what Mato was looking at.

Currently up to try out was a tall girl with dark hair and glasses—and a red chain-stitched band around her wrist. So this was the Little Birds' Game person…and Mato couldn't keep her eyes off her. Every so often the girl would catch one of the glances, and smile back with a blush in her cheeks. And now Mato wasn't waving at Yuu anymore.

Suddenly Yuu felt sick. All of sudden, Mato couldn't even remember to look at her best friend?

"Hey, manager!" snapped Arata, causing her to jump. "I want to see my face reflected in those basketballs!"

o – o – o

After the tryouts ended, a flushed Mato ran up to Yuu with a big grin plastered on her sweaty face. "I'm on the team!" she said breathlessly. "Thanks for convincing me to join."

"That's great, Mato!" Yuu finally stood, a crick in her back from the posture she'd been in for such a long time. "On the way home, you've gotta tell me about what Kohata had you do out there."

"Ah?" Mato looked to her left, to the volleyball players, for a moment. "I'm going to walk home with Takanashi today. You can come, but it's a little out of your way… But, yeah, you say her name 'Takanashi!" She explained it to me, but I don't really get it; it's like…"

As Mato went on about names written _Kotoriasobi_ and pronounced _Takanashi_, Yuu felt a pit forming in her stomach. Was Mato going to walk home a different way every day now? If that was true, they would only see each other during basketball club, and every day she knew the volleyball club practiced at the same time.

But she couldn't let Mato see her brooding. She put on a bright smile. "Okay, then! I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Mm-hmm!" Mato nodded and jogged off the other side of the gym, turning over her shoulder to wave good-bye.

Yuu felt like she was saying good-bye forever.

o – o – o

She walked through the empty halls back to her classroom, where she had unthinkingly left her things before heading to the gym. All the while, she tried to convince herself, it isn't so bad. She'd always spent most of her time with Mato at school, but that didn't mean they couldn't do other things together—studying, movies, even just going out to eat. It wasn't like she was never going to see her again. So why couldn't she shake this empty feeling?

She stopped walking as the door she'd just passed slid open. From the room there stepped out a woman with dark hair and warm brown eyes. She was dressed in casual red attire, and an armband printed with sunshine and smiling animals was wrapped around her upper arm. She raised the mug she held in one hand. "Hi there! Mind stopping in for a quick cup of coffee?"

"Um, I…" Yuu hesitated. She had planned on going home quickly, and texting Mato to see if she was free. Then the sign above the door caught her eye: _Dawn Consultation_.

The woman smiled at her. "It'll only take a minute."

In that case, Yuu couldn't think of any reason to say no. "Okay." She followed the counselor inside and took a seat on the comfortable couch while the woman moved to the coffee maker perched on a far table. "Sugar?"

"Huh?" Yuu looked up, surprised. "Oh, yes, thank you."

"How much?" The woman had a disarming way of speaking.

"Five—five spoonfuls."

"You got it." She added the sugar. "The name on my desk is Miss Irino, but you can call me Saya." Saya handed Yuu the mug and lowered herself opposite the girl, across the low coffee table. "I'm sitting down with all the new students so I can get to know everybody. What's your name?"

Nothing special about it, then. "Yuu Koutari," she replied. Then she smiled as she remembered she had a title to take pride in. "I am the number-one super manager of the basketball club!"

"Oh, really? That's a big achievement for a freshman." Saya nodded approvingly. "So, do you know Arata… I mean, Kohata, the captain?"

"Of course!" said Yuu, adding, "How could I miss her?"

Saya laughed. "That's true. She visits me from time to time. I think all students should, even if they don't feel they have any problems."

Yuu paused mid-sip. "Problems?"

"Well, you know, in middle school things can happen that cause a person pain. But at this time in your lives, you shouldn't have to deal with things that are painful." Saya looked serious for a moment, but her expression lightened as she said, "And that's why I'm here. I'll listen to your problems, and help you move past that pain."

"I see." Yuu swished her mug around and thoughtfully watched its contents swirl. "So problems are normal in middle school."

"I'm afraid so. Why?" Saya studied her face. "Do you already have one? A problem?"

"No, nothing like that," said Yuu with a chuckle. "I just didn't know middle school could be such a big deal…"

"Well, any time you have something you want to talk about, I'll be here." Saya gestured with one thumb. "My door is always open!"

Yuu bowed her head swiftly. "Thank you! And thanks for the coffee!" She set the still unemptied mug on the table.

"Oh, leaving already? Well, that's all right," said Saya. "Stop by again sometime!"

On her way back down the hallway, Yuu let out a sigh. "Well, that was a little weird." But she remembered the woman's kind face, and what she had said. "But she's a nice lady." She thought of Saya's words about her counseling, and sighed again. "So middle school comes with a lot of problems, huh? I guess not seeing Mato is one of those problems coming out of the woodwork."

Then she remembered something. "Ah, Mato's probably home by now!" She flipped open her cell phone and sent a text asking if Mato wanted to hang out for the evening. Her mood brightened by that prospect, she grabbed her things from the classroom and hurried on her way out of the building.

o – o – o

_Sorry, Yuu! Takanashi invited me over to her house for today. Talk to me in club tomorrow and we'll figure something out._

o – o – o

Yuu watched as the ball soared in its shallow arc, passing right through the hoop without even touching the sides. Landing from the small leap she'd taken, Mato turned back up the court while the girls on the sidelines cheered and cast admiring looks. She flashed a grin in Yuu's direction, and for one instant Yuu half-rose to acknowledge it…but Mato's eyes looked past her, past the dividing net, to another.

o – o – o

After school that day, she walked home with Mato and her new friend, but she found herself trailing a few paces behind while they discussed things that happened in the classes they shared. Yuu's only company was the sunsoaked landscape. She realized that even if Mato was alone, what would they talk about?

With their days mostly filled up by completely differently schedules, what were they _ever_ going to talk about?

o – o – o

That night, after sending another text message to try to set up a time they could go somewhere, she didn't get a response from Mato.


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry! It seems you'll have to put up with one more slower chapter, but the pace will pick up soon.

* * *

><p>"Hey, you don't look so good!" Yuu exclaimed, peering into Mato's face. "Did you not get a lot of sleep?"<p>

"I guess not." Mato didn't look her usual cheery self.

"Why not?"

"Don't know," her friend mumbled. "I just couldn't fall asleep."

Yuu wasn't buying it. "You're a bad liar. What's the matter? Did something happen?"

"Nothing happened! I told you." Mato wasn't looking at her. "I just had trouble falling asleep."

"Was it as the house of your Little Birds' Game?" Yuu persisted. "Did—"

"I said nothing happened!" Mato snapped. "And even if something did, maybe I don't want to talk about it!"

Yuu, taken aback, didn't speak.

Immediately, Mato looked regretful. "I'm sorry, Yuu! I didn't mean to shout at you like that…"

"No, it's okay." Yuu shook her head, smiling for Mato. "It's not my business, right? You'd tell me if you wanted to."

She turned to go, widening her smile rather than letting what she felt show on her face. "I'll see you at club, okay?"

o – o – o

It was after school. When Mato asked if Yuu wanted to walk home with her and Yomi—it was Yomi, now—Yuu found herself saying no, because she'd left her stuff in the classroom again. It wasn't true, but Yuu couldn't bring herself to endure another walk home where she was utterly silent, listening to her friend discuss the day with a stranger.

So she had wandered down the hallways again, and now…

"Here, Yuu. Coffee with five spoonfuls of sugar," said Saya, handing the same mug to Yuu.

"You remembered how much sugar I like," said Yuu with surprise as she accepted it.

Saya smiled, and said "What brings you here? Are you stopping in just for a visit so soon?"

"Well…" Yuu sighed. "Actually, I have a problem."

Saya nodded. It seemed Yuu's answer didn't surprise her. "Do you want to tell me what it is? And remember, nothing we talk about ever leaves this room. Students' privacy is very important to me."

"Okay." Yuu was about to begin, but she found herself just sipping from the mug again. This was harder than she had thought it would be.

"Is it a problem with another person?" prompted Saya.

"Yeah." Another sip.

"It's not boy troubles, is it?"

"No, nothing like that." _Well, something like that._

Saya seemed to be able to read that in her face. "A problem with one of your friends?"

"That's it." Yuu decided she might as well start talking. "I've known her since kindergarten, and we've always been together at school. This year, though, we're in the different classes. I see her because she's on the on the basketball team, but…" Her eyes were raised to the ceiling.

"Is she your best friend?" Saya looked at, still with a small, kind smile.

"Mm-hm."

"Do you feel lonely, or is it more about not seeing her specifically?"

"The second one, I guess." Sip. "Mostly."

Saya nodded as if to herself; it appeared she had expected such an answer. "Have you thought about the other ways you can spend time with her? Walking home, inviting her to your house? There's the festival in a few days."

"Well, I kinda tried. You know…" Yuu sighed. "It's like this. She walks home with this girl now, someone who's in her class. I went with them yesterday, but they just talked about things that happened during the day—so I've got no way to talk to Mato then."

"And other times?"

"She…she didn't answer the last text I sent her, and the one before that, she said no, because she was with Takanashi." Yuu gulped another mouthful of the gradually cooling coffee, adding hurriedly, "But I think she didn't respond because something happened at that Little Birds' Game person's house. And she wouldn't talk to me about it after, and that's weird! For Mato, that's weird." She sat back, feeling like she'd talked too much.

"Little Birds' Game?" repeated Saya with a laugh. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean."

"Oh. It's her name. Takanashi's." Yuu half rolled her eyes. "Mato got it wrong, because it's written like _Kotoriasobi_—Tiny Birds' Game." She drained the mug.

"I see." Saya took the empty cup from her. "It sounds like you friend has a found a little bird of her own, and you're a bit jealous."

"What…" Yuu stared at the counselor. _Found her own little bird_, that made it sound like…

"Well, maybe that's a bit much," said Saya. "But you're feeling left out, right?"

"I guess so."

"Yuu—is it all right if I call you that?" Saya paused, and Yuu took a second to answer. "A-ah, yes! That's fine."

Saya smiled. "Yuu." Yuu liked hearing Saya say her name like that for some reason. "Yuu, I think you're excluding yourself a little. Because you're missing the kind of closeness you usually have with your friend, you're turning it into more than it is."

"What do you mean?" Yuu thought about the walk home the day before, and the one she had just avoided. It had seemed like a lot.

"If you wanted to, I think you could have joined their conversation." Yuu blinked in surprise. Saya went on. "Someone like you should always be a part of what's going on. I know you had things to ask that girl, or even her new friend. Why not ask them? I'm sure your best friend wants to hear from you."

Yuu looked at her thoughtfully. "You think so?"

"Yes. Imagine you became friends with this Takanashi, and always had fun on the way home, with both of them." Saya smiled knowingly. "Even if you think she's stealing your friend away from you."

"It's not like _that_," said Yuu, a little sheepishly. "But it's not just walking home. In basketball club, she won't even pay attention to me, because the volleyball club is on the other side of the gym, and…" She trailed off.

"Takanashi is on the volleyball team?" completed Saya, and Yuu nodded.

"And now she won't tell me what's bothering her," she finished. "And she's still my friend, so I want to help her."

"About that…" Saya was silent for a moment. "Why don't you try talking to her on the way home, just about general things, and see if she says anything. I can tell you're a valuable friend, and not somebody her confidences would be wasted on."

Yuu blushed a little. "Thanks for saying that. And thanks again for the—"

Saya held up a hand, and Yuu stopped. "No need to thank me for that. That's a standing arrangement." She winked. "Coffee with five spoonfuls of sugar."

"Got it!" said Yuu with a grin. "I'll see you later, Saya!" She made to leave as Saya got up to put away the mug, but she stopped at the door. "I mean, I'll come back if… No, I'll definitely come back and say hi no matter what! 'Bye!" And she was out the door.

"'Bye," echoed Saya, raising a hand to the empty classroom. Setting down the mug, she smiled a slow smile to herself.

o – o – o

Mato had already left, undoubtedly along with Yomi, so Yuu walked home alone for the second time in years. This time she tried her best not to think about it so negatively, and she found it didn't drag her down as much. Even the spring air seemed more pleasant.

On the way, she asked Mato in a text if she wanted to go to the festival with her. By the time she got home, Mato's reply was already waiting: _I'd love to! I invited Yomi, and she said she'll come. So it'll be the three of us! I know it's gonna be fun!_

Reading that, _I invited Yomi_, Yuu felt a twinge if jealousy. The festival would have been so special, just the two of them out for a whole evening… But she shook off that twinge, reminding herself of what Saya had said. She could become friends with Yomi—why not? Mato knew she'd been there since the beginning. Mato knew she was her real best friend.

The more she thought about it, the less horrible it seemed to have Yomi there. "Maybe I am overthinking it," she said to herself. "Maybe Saya is right." _Saya is right_. Well, that made sense, didn't it? She was the counselor, after all.

o – o – o

It was the day of the festival. Yuu was dressed in an elegant silver-colored yukata her mother had owned before her, the food was delicious, and the warm evening breeze made the atmosphere perfect. On her way to the spot where she was going to meet Mato—and Yomi—she couldn't resist stopping her and there, whether to eat something, do quick reverence at a shrine, or watch a street performance. She was early, so it was no problem. This evening, nothing could go wrong.

When she reached their meeting point, she saw Mato talking with a group of girls from school, so she hung back. They asked if Mato wanted to come along with them, but she replied no, that she was going with Takanashi. She didn't say, _and Koutari_, but Yuu ignored it. The girls seemed skeptical for some reason, but they departed with smiles to see the sights, and Yuu went up to Mato.

"Hi!" she greeted cheerily. "Are you ready?"

"Eh?" Mato turned to face her. "Ah, hi, Yuu! Um, Yomi's not here yet."

"Oh, right," said Yuu airily. "I forgot, silly me."

Mato smiled. "Don't worry! She'll be here soon."

Five minutes later, Mato had checked the clock display on her phone at least fifteen times. Yuu was flopped down on the nearest set of stone steps, staring up at the darkening sky. Finally Mato came over and sat beside her. "I texted her twice…" she said. "There's no answer."

Yuu sighed long and slow. "Mato, can we just go and see the festival now?" The throngs of people walking by, talking animatedly, looked like they were having a wonderful time. Some couples were holding hands. "Maybe your Little Bird just can't make it."

Mato didn't seem to hear her, so she sat up and leaned in a little closer. "Hey, Mato… You've been acting all down since yesterday. Are you sure you don't want to talk about what happened?"

"Mmm…" Mato was composing another text message, and didn't look up from her cell phone. "It's Kagari…Yomi's friend. When I was at her house, she really didn't want me there. And Yomi didn't say anything…"

Whoever this Kagari person was, Yuu had to admit she agreed with her. "So she was mean to you, is that it?"

"That's…yeah, I guess. There was just something about the way she looked at me."

Yuu put her hand on Mato's shoulder, feeling the silky texture of the beautiful blue yukata she wore. "Well, I'm sorry she gave you a hard time. It wasn't very nice of Little Birds' Game not to speak up!"

"It wasn't her fault," Mato responded automatically, and a shadow flickered across Yuu's features. "It really wasn't."

She smiled sheepishly, finally looking at Yuu. "I'm going to wait for Yomi, okay? You can go and enjoy the festival if you want."

Yuu stared at her. "But…"

"I'm sorry." Mato hunched her shoulders. "I'm going to wait…"

o – o – o

The sky got darker and darker.

Yuu watched Mato from around the side of a building. She couldn't wander the festival alone again—not when she was supposed to be with Mato. So she stayed where she was, gazing mutely at her distant best friend.

Several times in short spaces of time, Mato would check her phone, as though she might somehow have missed its vibration in her hand. The one message Yuu thought she saw her friend receive only seemed to worsen her dispirited mood, and Yuu kicked herself for not just staying with Mato. But she couldn't bring herself to wait for _Yomi_, just couldn't.

"I don't think I did what you said, Saya," she whispered.

She didn't spend more than ten minutes with Mato, Mato's depression had only worsened, and the whole thing had been about Yomi. The whole thing had been Yomi's fault. As Yuu watched, Mato lifted her head to follow a streak of light that raced skyward and exploded into a brilliant pattern of colors. The fireworks continued, illuminating the sky in many vibrant hues, but Mato's face only fell more and more, and Yuu felt her heart sink with it. Yomi or no Yomi, she didn't like seeing Mato sad.

How had this evening gone so wrong?

o – o – o

The bell rang, signaling the start of lunch break. Normally Yuu would have gone to find Mato, but she'd seen her friend arriving, and judging from her expression, the chances of conversation were slim. So she just wandered around, having already eaten, until she slowly but surely came to end up outside the Dawn Consultation office.

The door was closed, so she placed a palm against it and slid it aside. She was already on her way into the room with a "Hi, Saya—" when she realized Saya wasn't alone. A girl with reddish hair sat on the couch, dressed in a bright in a bright red tracksuit and basketball shoes. "Ko-kohata?" Yuu exclaimed.

"Huh? A freshman?" The girl—none other than Arata Kohata—lowered her arms, apparently having been in the middle of some exaggerated gesture before Yuu had walked in.

"Hello, Yuu," said Saya. "We're busy at the moment; can you come back in a few minutes?"

"Actually, we're done!" Arata hopped up. "You didn't hear anything, right, you—what's your name—freshman? No?" She practically ran to the other door. "Remember, Saya, keep it a secret! A secret!" With that she was off down the hallway, the squeaky sound of her shoes slowly fading.

Saya indicated the couch. "Please, have a seat." She got up and headed once again to the pot of coffee while Yuu sat. She at first picked up the mug already resting on the table, but then she set it down and opened the cabinet below, which held several mugs. The one she took out had three orange flowers painted on.

Yuu waited while she poured the coffee, but Saya spoke while her back was still turned. "How are things with your friend?"

"Okay, I guess," said Yuu, then frowned at the automatic response. "No. No, they're not."

"Did you go to the festival with her?" asked Saya. She added five spoonfuls of sugar.

"Yes." Yuu told her what had happened, accepting the mug when Saya brought it over and taking an occasional sip of the hot drink. "I understand she's got other things on her mind," she finished. "It's not like she meant to be that way." She let out a sigh. "Honestly, I'm more worried about Mato, now…"

"Kuroi Mato? Is that your friend?"

Yuu nodded, a little surprised. "How do you know her?"

"Ah, well…" Saya shrugged. "Like I said, I'm sitting down with all the new students. I had Mato stop in a few days ago."

"Oh." For a minute, Yuu had thought… but then, Saya would never tell her if she and Mato were talking privately.

"Anyway, that is…" Saya was quiet for a moment, looking at Yuu with a hand propping her chin. "I'm proud of you, Yuu."

Yuu felt her heart flutter as Saya smiled at her. "What do you mean? I didn't do anything… I couldn't even do what you said."

"Yes, you did. You may not realize it, but I can tell." Saya's eyes were warm. "You thought about Mato's happiness. You didn't let yourself take it as yet another time you weren't able to enjoy her company—there will always be chances in the future. Instead, your concern was for you friend."

Yuu fiddled with the handle of her mug. "Haha, I guess so… But I didn't help her, either. A good friend wouldn't do what I did for a selfish reason like that, right?"

"She told you you didn't have to wait with her, didn't she? Even if you felt you should have, even if the reason you didn't was something else, you still respected her wishes." Saya maintained eye contact even as Yuu glanced down at her hands. "You're good, Yuu."

Somehow, she couldn't keep the smile from her lips. "Thanks, Saya." She looked up. "What should I do?"

Saya said, "I can't tell you that. It has to be your—"

"I want you to." Now Yuu looked unblinkingly back at Saya.

It was Saya's turn to appear surprised. "Well…all right, then. Just tell Mato you're worried about her. Don't press her for information or even mention what specifically is making you worry. Just make sure she knows you care about her, and that you're willing to listen."

"And then?"

"And then?" repeated Saya with a laugh. "And then wait to see if she does open up to you."

She glanced at the clock. "Oh, it's past your time!" She took Yuu's empty mug once again and went to put it away. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to keep you."

"I…I don't mind staying a little longer," said Yuu, but she spoke too quietly, and Saya was already gathering her own things and opening the door. Reluctantly, Yuu got up and headed for the door. "I'll come tomorrow, Saya!" She gave the woman a genuine smile. Somehow, even after that last night, this small conversation had cheered her up.

On her way out, she was halted in her tracks by a light touch from Saya upon her shoulder. "You know, Yuu…" Saya's eyes met hers. "You're very strong."

o – o – o

That night, Yuu had a strange dream.

_Strength._

_You're strong._

_You are…strength._


End file.
